1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a cardanic suspension device for a camera balance device.
Camera balance devices of this kind are used to balance video and film cameras which are guided manually by a camera operator and are connected by means of a suspension device, for example, to a spring arm in a waistcoat-type carrying device (so-called body support) which is in turn attached to the body of the camera operator.
The suspension device is intended to prevent tilting and inclined movements, oscillations and stepping movements from the body of the camera operator being transmitted to the camera because it is necessary to guarantee a constant camera alignment at all times and avoid any tilting, inclination or oscillation of the camera. Alternatively, the camera attached to the balance device may also be secured by means of the suspension device to a free-standing support, dolly, crane etc, whereby the suspension device is then able to prevent any unevenness of the ground exerting an influence on the position of the camera.
For this, the suspension device is designed so that the construction comprising camera and balance system is able to execute a pendulum motion relative to the support. In addition, this construction is connected to counterweights. With a suitable choice and positioning of these counterweights, the camera is balanced in such a way that tilting and inclination movements, oscillations and stepping movements are not transmitted from the body support, free-standing support, dolly or crane, etc. to the camera.
2. Prior Art
In a known camera balance device, the camera is attached to one end of a pendulum arm to the other end of which the counterweights are fixed. Batteries are used, for example, as counterweights, which simultaneously function as energy stores.
The pendulum arm is connected to a cardanic suspension device which may in turn be attached, for example, to a spring arm in a body support, to a support, dolly or crane.
In the cardanic suspension of the camera construction, three axes of motion are realized relative to the support: the suspension device comprises two intersecting joint axes (cardanic axes) one of said axes extending vertically (in a perpendicular manner) during operation and the other extending horizontally, in addition to an axis of rotation, extending through the vertical joint axis and lying perpendicular to the horizontal joint axis. A joint output fixing element can be rotated about the vertical joint axis and is used to fix the cardanic suspension device to the pendulum arm of the camera balance device, and a joint input fixing element, which may rotated about the axis of rotation, is used to fix the cardanic suspension device to a support, in particular to the aforementioned body support or also to a free-standing support.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,797,054 discloses a cardanic suspension for a camera balance device. However, here the clamp device for fixing the suspension device to the pendulum arm in the camera balance device is located in the area of the cardanic suspension so that the clamping process can result in the decentralization of the cardanic joint in relation to the three axes.